First Winter With Chickens, What To Do?

[Bantam bell Wood]

You can, but you will need to lightly water it periodically, so that composting will happen.

Alternatively, you can just leave it dry and frequently turn it over with a garden fork.

Also, I’m using hemp hurd((s) not sure if it’s one thing or many things). I’ve added some dry leaves to the mix. Is hemp hurd a good material for the deep litter/composting method as far as you know?

Thank you again.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Also, I’m using hemp hurd((s) not sure if it’s one thing or many things). I’ve added some dry leaves to the mix. Is hemp hurd a good material for the deep litter/composting method as far as you know?

Thank you again.

Anything organic (derived from living organisms, especially plants) that hasn’t been contaminated with various pesticides and isn’t KNOWN to be toxic to chickens is fair game.

If you have deciduous trees on your property, here’s where all those fallen leaves go, especially if you can crunch them up with a mower first. <- Although I’ve found that less than one week of chickens scratching in non-chopped leaves has shredded them nicely.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you, in Maine, I’m not sure how the watering would/will go in the winter.

I wouldn't water in winter as that'll just give you frozen litter (plus who wants to stand out in freezing conditions dumping water on things?) Save composting efforts for warmer weather.

Is hemp hurd a good material for the deep litter/composting method as far as you know?

Hemp is great for compost.

 

[Bantam bell Wood]

Anything organic (derived from living organisms, especially plants) that hasn’t been contaminated with various pesticides and isn’t KNOWN to be toxic to chickens is fair game.

If you have deciduous trees on your property, here’s where all those fallen leaves go, especially if you can crunch them up with a mower first. <- Although I’ve found that less than one week of chickens scratching in non-chopped leaves has shredded them nicely.

Thanks! I’ve started adding dry leaves and I’m beginning the process of bagging more up to add as the seasons progress. I appreciate the insight. The girls are doing well. They’re small but healthy and seem to be happy too.

 

[Bantam bell Wood]

I wouldn't water in winter as that'll just give you frozen litter (plus who wants to stand out in freezing conditions dumping water on things?) Save composting efforts for warmer weather.

Hemp is great for compost.

Thank you! I figured as much, but it’s always safer to ask and be wrong than practice doing the wrong thing!

 

[Bantam bell Wood]

Hello everyone! This is our first flock and so far we have been doing great however this is our first winter that we will be going through with the girls. We live in Jacksonville NC so our winters aren’t super cold and harsh but I am just looking for tips on what to do and what not to do for the winter temperatures. Should I worry about plastic wrapping the run or leave it open? Do I close the windows completely or leave them cracked? Any advice will be appreciated! I attached a picture of our coop and run to get a visual on what we have going on. Also we do tend to let the girls out and roam the yard for a bit everyday so they can get some extra sunlight and what not.

Great coop! I’m not ready to post pictures of mine yet, it’s more “The Borrowers” than “Road Warrior,” but coming along nicely…
I’m looking for black caulk (I do want the colors to match ) to shore up some areas I suspect are drafty. This is my first winter too. Good luck!

 

[Bantam bell Wood]

Provide protection from harsher winter winds but just as importantly, provide ample ventilation.

Don't close them up tight.
Don't heat the coop.
Don't keep water inside the coop.

Personally, I would wrap it to provide wind blocking. Leave the upper foot or so open.

Close windows that allow drafts to blow directly across the roosts and open feathers. Do you have a ridge vent?
Do you have a predator apron on your setup? If so, I would never shut the pop door and that will be an ideal source of low, fresh air intake.
It's a bit late in the season for renos but I would install a long, narrow
opening at the top of the side of the coop under the run roof as it that is an ideal location for high ventilation.

I appreciate your notes here. Do you recommend a ridge vent under all circumstances? I have 4 bantams in an ample but not too large sized coop. The vents, 5”x5”are at the top of the ridge on either side. I have considered enlarging them, but I’m not sure how much ventilation my tiny flock needs.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’m not sure how much ventilation my tiny flock needs.

That is a huge question. I think a lot depends on your specific circumstances. We have rules of thumb but those are intended for everywhere, whether Miami, Denver, or Calgary. Conditions can be quite different so different locations.

You need enough ventilation to get excess moisture out of your coop in winter, especially if your temperatures drop below freezing where frostbite can be an issue. You are in North Carolina so you can see freezing temperatures. Your record lows might surprise a lot of people. Another factor is the size of your coop. In a small coop moisture levels can build up pretty quickly. In a larger coop it takes more moisture to appreciably raise the moisture level.

In the summer you need a way for heat to escape.

You cannot have too much ventilation as long as they are kept out of cold winds. Chickens evolved to sleep in trees, you can't get much better ventilation than that. The question is how much is too little. There are too many variables for me to give you an accurate answer.

I really like the idea of a ridge vent. Warm air rises so it can make a huge difference in summer. In winter, warm air holds more moisture and rises so ridge vents help there. If a coop stays wet, the poop will decompose. Ammonia is formed in that decomposing process. Ammonia is poisonous to chickens above certain levels. Since ammonia is lighter than air, a ridge vent allows the ammonia to escape and not build up and harm your chickens.

I cannot give you guarantees, but in North Carolina I'd be OK with those two gable vents and a ridge vent.